I recently turned 22 years old and have moved back home to my beloved Louisville. I went to Western Kentucky University from 2011-2015 and majored in Anthropology and History. I have a passion for people, especially helping those who have fewer benefits than most. I fully believe that those lovely subjects considered either “liberal arts” or “soft sciences” are essential to a society and an education. Both of my majors in college fell into these categories which meant that I did not have a job coming out of college but a skill set that I could apply to almost any job I wanted.

My senior year of college I wondered, “what’s next?” which I think every college senior is asked about ten times a day by strangers and family alike. I originally heard about AmeriCorps through a family friend and after looking into it more I realized that the VISTA mission was one I felt was definitely worth a gap year in my education before I pursued graduate school to earn my Master’s in Anthropology (my so-far undeveloped end goal).

I had spent the summer doing a summer associate position for VISTA with 55,000 Degrees and I loved it. Though VISTA summer associate positions are a bit different than year-long positions, I realized that 55K’s mission was an important one and one I wanted to help my city achieve.

I am currently the AmeriCorps VISTA based out of the Southwest Regional Branch of the Louisville Free Public Library. My position is designed to build capacity for the CCC (College and Career Connection) locations within LFPL. I have a fellow VISTA based out of a different branch who is doing the same thing but with a different demographic. In the few months I have been a VISTA, I have learned a few things right off the bat: change is not overnight, almost no one in the community knows who a VISTA is and what they are supposed to do, and that there are a lot of great people in this city who want to help. This project, above all, is about making the CCC at the libraries in Louisville a valued resource to the community and marketing that goal is one of the larger challenges I have faced and will continue to encounter. Being surrounded by such a network of dedicated and willing people is such a great experience. It is heartening and energizing to see all of the collaboration and goal-oriented work that all the people associated with 55K are doing and will continue to do, long after my year as a VISTA is over.

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The Cradle to Career VISTA Blog consists of posts from members past and present and those that work with them. ​Any opinions expressed on “The Cradle to Career VISTA Blog”, except as specifically noted, are those of the individual commenter and do not necessarily represent the views, opinions, or policies of AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) program or the Corporation for National and Community Service.